Healing is what happens when Pastoral Practitioners minister, enabling people to receive restoration to health of body and mind through God's great love and mercy. This restoration of health is part of what is meant by the "abundant life" which the Lord promised.

Copper is an essential nutrient required for hemoglobin formation and
many other functions. Copper is involved in producing and releasing
energy through enzymes in the cytochrome system of cell respiration. It
is essential for the development and maintenance of skeletal structures;
specifically, copper helps to form collagen, especially in the bone and
connective tissues. In the nervous system, copper conducts electrical
impulses and helps maintain the myelin sheath around nerve fibers
through the synthesis of phospholipids. In addition, copper has been
linked to anti-inflammatory effects through oxygen-free radical
metabolism and control of histamine levels. Copper is involved in iron
metabolism and may play a role in thermal regulation, glucose
metabolism, and blood clotting. Recent evidence suggests it also plays a
role in proper functioning of the immune system.

The average daily intake by individuals consuming a typical Western
diet has now been established as 1.0 to 1.5 mg of copper. This is lower
than the 1.5 to 3.0 mg per day recommended to be safe and adequate.
Pregnant women have higher needs, and greater supplementation may be
indicated.

Copper deficiency in human beings is considered rare. Anemia
resulting from copper deficiency has been found in individuals who have
undergone intestinal bypass surgery, in patients receiving parenteral
nutrition, in malnourished infants, and in persons ingesting excessive
amounts of zinc. Copper deficiency in human beings has been linked to
anemia, red blood cell rupture, demyelination and degeneration of the
nervous system, pigmentation abnormalities in both skin and hair,
abnormalities of the immune system, poor collagen integrity, faulty bone
development, reduced activity of the antioxidant selenoglutathione
peroxidase, elevated LDL cholesterol and reduced HDL cholesterol, and
leukopenia (particularly granulocytopenia). Copper is important for
converting T3 to T4, so low copper levels may reduce thyroid function.
Animal studies indicate that copper deficiency results in central
nervous system disturbances similar to Parkinson's disease, including
symptoms of ataxia, tremors, and uncontrolled movements.

Wilson's disease, a genetic disorder, affects copper metabolism and
leads to low serum and hair copper levels with high liver and brain
copper levels. Serious problems, such as irreversible liver, kidney and
brain damage, and even death, may result. It is treated with chelating
agents; penicillamine is most often used as it binds copper in the gut
and carries it out. Copper levels may be reduced through a low-copper
diet, combined with more zinc and manganese in the diet and as
supplements.

In Menkes disease, a rare problem of copper malabsorption in infants
that can often be fatal, decreased intestinal absorption causes copper
to accumulate in the intestinal lining.

Indian childhood cirrhosis, a hereditary disease with accumulating
copper in the liver, used to be fatal, but can now be treated with
chelators. The incidence of ICC in India has decreased in recent years,
but similar diseases have appeared elsewhere.

Copper is available combined with sulfate, picolinate, gluconate, and
amino acids. Data is not available to evaluate one form against another.

Superoxide dismutase (SOD), with copper, has been used to treat
arthritis. Stability in the stomach and small intestine is an issue,
however, and oral use may be contraindicated. Enteric-coated tablets of
active SOD may improve suitability for oral treatment of arthritis and
other inflammatory disorders. In a Danish study, arthritis patients who
were treated with injections of SOD obtained relief from many of their
symptoms, such as joint swelling, pain, and morning stiffness.

Arthritis: Copper bracelets have been shown to reduce pain and
inflammation associated with arthritis, although the exact mechanism
is unknown. Recent research suggests that copper salicylate used to
treat arthritis reduces symptoms more effectively than either copper
or aspirin alone. SOD injections have reportedly provided relief in
several European studies.

Daily dietary copper intake recommended by the National Research
Council of the United States: 1.5 to 3.0 mg per day for adults. For
children 2 to 11 years, 1.5 to 2.5 mg. Not recommended for children
under 2.

A zinc-to-copper ratio in the range of 8:1 to 15:1 is consistently
recommended.

For leukopenia and anemia, daily doses up to 0.1 mg/kg of cupric
sulfate orally, or 1 to 2 mg per day added to nutrient solution of
nutrients for parenteral administration.

Copper toxicity is rare. Circumstances in which acute copper
poisoning has occurred include accidental consumption by children,
ingestion of several grams in suicide attempts, application of copper
salts to burned skin, drinking water from contaminated water supplies,
and consumption of acidic food or beverages stored in copper containers.

Chronic copper toxicosis has been observed in dialysis patients
following months of hemodialysis when copper tubing was used and in
vineyard workers using copper compounds as pesticides.

Copper is an emetic. As little as 10 mg usually produces nausea, and
60 mg usually produces vomiting. The lethal dose for copper may be as
little as 3.5 g. Copper supplements should be kept away from children.

Allopurinol forms complexes with copper in vitro (Malkiel et al.
1993). The ability of the drug to chelate copper may impart the
protective effects against cardiac damage in bypass patients.

Cimetidine

In young rats, intermediate to high doses of cimetidine (875 to 1750
mg/kg/day) administered intragastrically four times weekly for 5 weeks
elevated hepatic and plasma copper concentrations, and caused mineral
redistribution as well as pathological changes in some tissues (Naveh et
al. 1987).

Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)

Administration of copper aspirinate to arthritic rats for 20 days
increased hepatic copper concentrations (Kishore 1990). However, copper
complexes of NSAIDs exhibit more potent anti-inflammatory activity than
NSAIDs alone (Miche et al. 1997). It is not known whether copper
supplements enhance the anti-inflammatory activity of NSAIDs.